[f18235]

I think the comments about the price are funny. I am sure most people are paying well less than they were paying when they played in person.

[taylorsm]

fmjssy, on 2026-August-06, 00:31, said:

Will she need to buy a plan?

Not necessarily, it depends on the day. Basic membership (free) includes 6 deals a day, and one deal is used each time she starts a hand at an open Social Bridge table she joins herself. On days she only plays a few hands, Basic covers her completely, no purchase needed. On days she plays 10 to 20 hands, she'll use up her 6 free deals partway through and won't be able to start more that day, her balance resets the next day. If she wants to keep playing at that pace whenever she likes, Premium removes that daily count entirely, or she could rent robots - during the rental period, you can start and play at Social Bridge tables without limits, even when you are not using the robots at your table

The one day a week you set up the table and invite her, none of that touches her deals at all, being invited to a table is always free, on any plan.

Worth knowing too: everyone is getting a complimentary Premium period in the next few months, so she'll get a chance to try unlimited play firsthand before anyone has to decide anything.

Your other questions:
What counts as an "eligible" hand? The 6 deals are used specifically for: joining a Social Bridge table, some Solitaire Bridge variants (Just Declare and Bridge 4 Hands), inviting someone to a Challenge, free Star and Robot Challenges, free Daylong games, and selected free tournaments. Everything else, paid games, being invited or substituting for someone, the practice tools, Just Play Bridge, Vugraph, and kibitzing, stays outside that count.

For friends who only play Solitaire Bridge? It depends which mode. Just Play Bridge itself is unlimited and free on every plan. Just Declare and Bridge 4 Hands do use daily deals on Basic and Basic No Ads, and are unlimited on Premium.

Kibitzing and watching Vugraph? Both stay completely free on every plan, whether it's a Vugraph tournament, a team game, or an individual table.

Learning tools? Bridge Master, Minibridge, and bidding or teaching tables are unlimited and free on every plan.

Thank you for the quick response. Your information is very helpful.

[OldPlayr]

Skip 1 coffee at Starbucks.

[pescetom]

OldPlayr, on 2026-August-06, 13:39, said:

Skip 1 coffee at Starbucks.

Are you by any chance paid to make these posts?
FWIW Starbucks which also relies on minor but regular payments reported an annual net income (profit) of approximately $1.856 billion last year.

[pescetom]

f18235, on 2026-August-06, 10:14, said:

I think the comments about the price are funny. I am sure most people are paying well less than they were paying when they played in person.

Welcome to the forum, I think this is a funny choice of comment for a first post.
If you want one data point, tonight I paid a 14 board tournament with a robot on BBO for $2.25, I could have played 24 board in person tournament sanctioned for $4 or unsanctioned for $2.

[johnjo42]

I think this is a dreadful decision. I joined BBO in 2005 when not that many Brits played and joined the Acol players Club. Everything was free then apart from pay tournaments. Over the following 15 years I played regularly most days, mainly in the Acol players club and made many good friends. . During Covid, when bridge clubs were closed BBO really took off.
It's now much quieter and, with varying commitment, I don't play on BBO as much as I used to but being limited to playing 6 boards a day is crazy. I often would play up to 50 boards a night.
I do hope that BBO will think again.

[jillybean]

And why do you believe BBO should keep providing this to you for free?

[OldPlayr]

pescetom, on 2026-August-06, 16:22, said:

Are you by any chance paid to make these posts?
FWIW Starbucks which also relies on minor but regular payments reported an annual net income (profit) of approximately $1.856 billion last year.

Yes, I get $100 per post

[barmar]

pescetom, on 2026-August-06, 16:27, said:

Welcome to the forum, I think this is a funny choice of comment for a first post.
If you want one data point, tonight I paid a 14 board tournament with a robot on BBO for $2.25, I could have played 24 board in person tournament sanctioned for $4 or unsanctioned for $2.

For comparison, in the US most ACBL sanctioned bridge clubs charge $5-15 per session for face-to-face games.

[pescetom]

barmar, on 2026-August-07, 12:21, said:

For comparison, in the US most ACBL sanctioned bridge clubs charge $5-15 per session for face-to-face games.

I'm not saying that $2.25 for a 14 board game with a mediocre robot and TD was a ripoff, just that it is already exceeding the market price over here.
Any further increases will send me to other sites.
I agree with your decision to make people pay for opening casual tables and do not understand why those invited should continue to play free.
You have every right to make us pay but at least be fair and reasonable.

[EugeneLS]

Well - at the club I used to play at, I'd be expected to put down table money (normally £3 - about US$4) for each session, and no-one would complain about that. But I agree - if lots of good players who only play online are going to be frightened off BBO, that's going to be a disaster. Think again, BBO Admins!!!

And another thing.

Quote

Basic membership (free) includes 6 deals a day, and one deal is used each time she starts a hand at an open Social Bridge table she joins herself.

1. Will an incomplete table that you join, but never gets to play because the table can't raise a four - will that count as one of your 'six-a-day'?
2. Will a hand that you start to play at, but doesn't get finished because another player other than dummy bunks off before the hand is complete (this really ought to be penalised, but it happens!) and you can't get a substitute - will this count towards your 'six-a-day'?

You see, there are more questions to be addressed, Admins.

Perhaps BBO ought to open up their accounts to public scrutiny... After all, my local f2f bridge club does just that - at least to their members - every AGM.

[brecherdc]

jillybean, on 2026-August-07, 05:36, said:

And why do you believe BBO should keep providing this to you for free?

Ever heard of advertising?

[fmjssy]

Hi everyone, sharing this here since it answers a lot of what's been asked in this thread. You could find the breakdown of what's included in Basic, Basic No Ads, and Premium.

https://doc.bridgeba...elp_Center.html

Hope this helps!

[pescetom]

Many of us have played with multiple nicknames (but associated to the same email) over the years, for various reasons. Is that considered in assigning Premium to loyal and prolific users?

[jillybean]

brecherdc, on 2026-August-09, 20:37, said:

Ever heard of advertising?

"You play a few deals here and there and ads don't bother you → Basic has you covered, free"

[DaveRolyat]

Can somebody clarify what a "deal" is?
Does it mean you can only get halfway through a 12 board "free" daily with your 6 free deals?
Is a "deal" 52 cards dealt, or is a "deal" a tournament dealt?

[barmar]

DaveRolyat, on 2026-August-11, 06:14, said:

Can somebody clarify what a "deal" is?
Does it mean you can only get halfway through a 12 board "free" daily with your 6 free deals?
Is a "deal" 52 cards dealt, or is a "deal" a tournament dealt?

You will not be allowed to start playing a tournament that has more boards than the number of free deals you have left. This is one of the reasons we created the 4- and 6-board free tournaments.

[jillybean]

I interpret that as deal = board, hand

[EugeneLS]

Are we going to be able to tell which players are 'premium' members, and which are not?

Furthermore: it might be useful, in the case of non-premium members, to know how many of their allotted six boards they have used up.

There are so many ways in which this new system can be exploited and misused. PLEASE THINK AGAIN ADMINS!

Here's my suggestion, though it may be unpopular with many: do away with free membership altogether; charge a modest monthly fee (well, less than US$5.99 at least!) to all participants. I already pay monthly for sites like Netflix etc. - another sub. wouldn't break the bank for me, and probably not for most others...

[pes_6]

The day has come when BBO isn't free for end users anymore. Don't be funny, six free boards per day can't be real free, that's only cca 1/4 of "offline" tournament. I remember when you said that BBO will be free forever (for end users). We have a saying that says: "Never say never". I hope that BBO owners calculated well how many money will earn from that membership plans. I still think that woun't be so high that they thought. Personally, I'm not against membership plans on BBO, but I would like that BBO owners admit that there is no longer a real free BBO. I hope that in premium plan will be possible change table cover and remove that stylized "B" in the middle of table, that disturb, especially when playing, after auction.